The Apprentice
by Clumsy.Mephisto
Summary: One-shot about the main character of my on-going story 'The most unlikey of couples', Sophia 'Phia' Pietzsch. Will be incorporated into the story at some point.


It was a hustle and bustle in Diagon Alley on this chilly afternoon in late August, hinting that for many students another year at Hogwarts would begin in a week's time. However, this no longer applied to Lily and Phia. The two felt a strange sense of sadness as they wandered along the street, the latter helping her favourite redhead pick up ingredients for her classes in Advanced Potion Making, one of the most laborious classes in a Healer's apprenticeship.

Lily herself had been utterly thrilled when she first read the list of required ingredients and literature for said class and had spent the entirety of the day speculating on the potions she would learn to make within the next few years. Phia herself could not share her friend's enthusiasm. She truly wished she could be happier for her Lily, but the fact that she still did not know what career she should take on, now that her request to cancel her admission to the Auror Training Programme had been granted, considerably brought her down in her spirits.

'Honestly, Phia, I don't get why you won't join me in St. Mungus – they would love to have somebody of your caliber in their ranks!' Lily said as they exited the Apothecary, her bag loaded with vials and small jars containing suspicious looking substances.  
'Lily, I'm not cut out for the life as a healer. I never excelled in Potions or Herbology the way you and Alice did. And I already despise non-magical hospitals. I highly doubt I could spend the reminder of my life in a magical one.' Phia retorted seemingly nonchalant, though her façade did not deceive Lily. The older girl knew fully well how much Phia's hopelessness troubled her, as well as those close to her. It even drove Sirius to the point where he tried to persuade Phia into re-applying for the Auror Training Programme, but to no avail.

'Isn't there anything you would like to do? You know so much more about magic than any of us and are so curious by nature – there has to be one field of magic you've always wanted to study more than others!' Lily ended up crying out in frustration, drawing the attention of a few by-passers to herself.  
Phia sighed and muttered something under her breath, but then she abruptly came to a halt. Lily, surprised by the sudden reaction, almost bumped into the father of a shopping family.  
'Phia?' Lily yelped. But the small girl had already disappeared into the crowds.

Cursing, Lily looked around her and then spotted a familiar looking denim jacket in the crowd. She immediately followed, pushing herself through the throngs of people, apologizing over and over again when she bumped into someone and particularly when she stepped on a seven-year-olds' feet. After a few minutes, she had finally caught up to her friend.  
'What in the name of Merlin was that about?' The redhead cried agitatedly, but she instantly stopped herself from any further complaints, when she realized where she was.  
They were in front of Ollivanders wand shop.

Lily's jaw dropped as she looked at her friend in awe; said girl marveled over the peeling gold letters over the door. Never in a million years would she have guessed, that Phia, of all people, the girl who had troubles working with her own wand, would be interested wandlore.  
But then again – it made sense. Phia had never found a wand that perfectly matched her. Being chosen by her wand was the thing that had confirmed Lily in her identity as a witch, whenever she doubted herself after a particularly menacing taunt from the Slytherins. Phia, however, had been denied of that expierience. Thus, of course, wandlore became the branch of magic that occupied her more than any other.

Lily was still connecting the dots in her mind when Phia finally felt she had the courage to enter the shop. The door creaked slightly as she opened it and the familiar scent of wood and dust that filled her nostrils. She took in the interior of the shop, which was still exactly as she remembered it. The shelves which consisted of nothing but boxes full of wands, the single chair in the corner and the old desk in front of the shelves. Everything was the same. Ollivander appeared from the shelves shortly after she had entered the shop, his thin voice and protruding eyes also unchanged since the day she had come here to purchase her wand.

'I did not think I would see you again so soon, Miss Pietzsch.'  
His eyes scanned her with wonder and open curiosity.  
'But you did expect me.'  
'Oh, of course,' Ollivander spoke softly. 'I remember every single wand I have ever sold, as well as my customers. Many struggle to find their perfect wand, Miss Pietzsch. But a case like yours, I must admit, has never occurred for as long as I can recall. It never left my mind and it filled me with wonder. And I was certain that you would return one day to enquire why none of the wands I have made chose you.'  
'I've tried to find it out myself,' Phia replied after a moment of silence. 'I read everything I could find on wandlore, every book in the library at Hogwarts or available in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. But they never mentioned that (her voice shook at this point)… that there were people like …me.'  
Ollivander drew a shallow breath and his expression changed, from wonder to understanding.  
'Quite frankly, Miss Pietzsch, I doubt that there are many cases like yours. I'm not sure whether there have been any up until now. If so, then none of them have been recorded.'

Phia cast down her eyes, her determination wavering suddenly.  
'That is not the only thing that is troubling you, I assume?' Mr. Ollivander asked, studying the girl once more. She nodded, biting her lips. After a few moments, she spoke up again.  
'Mr. Ollivander, I was wondering…'  
'Yes?' He bobbed his head to the side the slightest bit.  
'Do you take on apprentices?'

Phia exited Ollivanders about half an hour later. Lily had been waiting outside the entire time, her bag put aside on a nearby bench. She was pacing around nervously, gnawing her fingernails and running her hand through her red locks – a habit she had picked up from her boyfriend. Her head snapped around immediately as she heard the creaking of the front door. Phia slowly approached her friend, her eyes distant. She tried to open her mouth a few times, but no sound came out at first.  
Lily looked at her friend expectantly and nodded encouragingly. The smaller girl took a deep breath and her voice came out higher and weaker than she had intended.  
'He said I could start Monday morning.'


End file.
